The impact of a covid-19 positive diagnosis on the risk of polypharmacy on community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older

ABSTRACT

Background: Polypharmacy is known to increase with age and is a known risk factor for worsening geriatric syndromes. Emerging literature has shown post-COVID-19 infection complications involving pulmonary, cardiac, renal, dermatologic, thrombotic, and psychiatric disorders. It is expected that these would be treated with additional medications, which could increase an older adult's risk of polypharmacy, including an increase in total number of medications and high risk medications particularly, and, thus, worsening geriatric syndromes. Methods: This is an IRB-approved pilot study to evaluate if a long-term study of the assessment of polypharmacy risk in older adults after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis is warranted. This study will be conducted at the University of California, Irvine Senior Health Center, a primary care clinic for older adults with an interdiscinplinary healthcare team. Medication lists and changes to medications, diagnosis lists, and pertinent vitals and labs will be collected through chart review, along with treatment(s) used for COVID-19. These will be analyzed to determine if additional medications have been started after a COVID-19 diagnosis, and particularly, if these medications are high risk medications for older adults or could increase the individual's risk for worsening geriatric syndromes. Results: The data collection will occur through March 2021. Data will be analyzed on an on-going basis. Results are expected by March 2021. There will be data and results to present at the time of the meeting. Conclusions: Conclusions will be presented after results are obtained and analyzed. The results are expected to inform the feasibility of a continued, larger study to illustrate the long-term effects of a COVID-19 positive diagnosis the risk of polypharmacy in older adults.